Mary McDonnell
Mary McDonnell
Mary Eileen McDonnellis an American film, stage, and television actress. She received Academy Award nominations for her roles as Stands With A Fist in Dances with Wolves and May-Alice Culhane in Passion Fish. McDonnell is well known for her performances as President Laura Roslin in Battlestar Galactica, the First Lady in Independence Day, and Rose in Donnie Darko. She currently stars as Captain Sharon Raydor on the TNT series Major Crimes...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionMovie Actress
Date of Birth28 April 1952
CityWilkes-Barre, PA
CountryUnited States of America
I remember when I saw the rough cut of the series, even with all the little drawings in place of the special effects, I was so pleased at how interested and attached I become to the other characters. I'm a very critical viewer, but this became "real" to me. I'm fascinated by other realities and other realms and I think they exist - and when you have a good writer, it becomes palpable.
I love the idea of a woman being able to discover the idea of power this way, on such a scale. And I don't know about that, what it means - well, I guess I'd better, or my part's in trouble.
He's very intuitive about human behavior, combined with a wonderful understanding of the scientific/fantasy perception - an understanding of what we can perceive beyond what we admit to. But he doesn't depart from the human being. That means you get to use everything you are and more as an actor.
It's even more realistic that she's co-running things with Commander Adama - Thank God it's the brilliant Eddie Olmos playing him! I mean, he has the power on this ship.
I am feeling energized, and know, that 43 people who had to die is an interesting fact, as one of the things I'm fascinated by in BSG is that here's this women who was thrust into power, instead of having to work her way into it.
We never know all the facts and the more we're mindful of how we deal with people, the more opportunity we have to evolve.
That moment was very important because it was political. That's what has to be done, so they struck a deal. She figures his is a well-thought-out motivation that she felt was worthy trade-off. The motivation here is survival, and she has to think like a leader.
I love to work. I love to have complexity.